Active arm eyelash applicator

ABSTRACT

An active arm eyelash applicator comprising of a stationary arm similar to traditional mascara wands and an active or movable arm attached to the stationary arm is disclosed. The active arm is controlled by a button protruding from a handle or end cap, allowing the active arm to open and close. The eyelash applicator in the closed position is designed to be stored in a standard mascara base tube which is configured to be sealed from dry-out and is held securely together by symmetrical pieces defined at each first end of the individual arms for fitting perfectly into the neck opening of the base tube.

CO-RELATED APPLICATION

The present disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/182,890, filed on Jun. 22, 2015, entitled “Eyelash Applicator with Active Arm Apparatus”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to the cosmetic industry and more particularly to a mascara applicator that simultaneously coats, de-clumps and curls lashes.

BACKGROUND

Prior art mascara applicators require using three cosmetic tools to achieve the desired finished look, one to coat the eyelashes, a second to separate and de-clump and a third lash curler to curl lashes. Typically, prior art mascara applicators consist of using a single wand with an applicator brush, which is offered in a variety of brush heads to achieve benefits including length, volume, curling, density and separated lashes. Additionally, lash combs consisting of small combs with teeth made of varying materials allow a user to comb through the lash to separate and de-clump after mascara application. Lash combs may have a brow brush attached to the opposite side for brow grooming. Commercially available mascara applicators now exist with dual wands, either in a single tube or double tube with openings on opposite ends or side-by-side. The dual wands open and close in varying ways similar to different styles of tongs, all having two active arms to open and close the wands for production application.

However a problem exists in prior art applicator functionality. Poorly designed wiper systems allow excess product to remain on and between the mascara wands, causing messy application. Additionally, the containers housing a mascara solution are not designed in a way to hold the wand arms securely together, thereby allowing excess product to build up between the wands and never be wiped away. This build up leads to product dry out between the wands and results in clumpy and messy product application.

Therefore there is a need for an eyelash applicator that provides a mascara component with a dual arm applicator which is capable of securely closing in a simple manner the mascara container that serves for storing it while allowing for ease of dual arm operation when coating and de-clumping eyelashes. The present invention solves these problems in a unique and novel fashion.

SUMMARY

An active arm eyelash applicator comprising of a stationary arm similar to traditional mascara wands and an active or movable arm attached to the stationary arm is disclosed. The active arm is controlled by a button protruding from a handle or end cap, allowing the active arm to open and close. The eyelash applicator in the closed position is designed to be stored in a standard mascara base tube which is configured to be sealed from dry-out and is held securely together by symmetrical pieces defined at each first end of the individual arms for fitting perfectly into the neck opening of the base tube. The stationary arm and active arm are both attached by a spring-loaded hinge. Each arm will have an applicator at a distal end, one to perform product application and the other to de-clump in one easy motion while simultaneously curling the lashes. The active arm will be controlled by a button that can be easily de-pressed, forcing the active arm to close onto the stationary arm wherein the button protrudes from the end cap, thereby squeezing the active arm toward the stationary arm when pressed down and allowing the arm to open when not pressed.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stationary arm defines a mascara wand defining an area of missing bristles allowing the active arm to easily close into the mascara wand head, becoming almost invisible and enabling traditional single wand mascara application to eyelashes.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mascara wand head will have bristles that crisscross. These bristles will provide a cleaning service to the active comb arm, removing any product build-up from between the teeth of the comb.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stationary arm and the active arm will each define one half of a molded seal to fit inside the neck of the mascara tube to ensure that the stationary and active arms stay together when inside the base tube, and prevent oxygen from entering the tube causing formula to dry out.

In still yet another embodiment of the present invention, the stationary arm and active arm have alternate functions of any type or size of mascara brush head and lash comb in any combination.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its structure and its operation together with the additional object and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The usage, advantages and potential of the invention are supported with a detailed description of the following figures:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the active arm eyelash applicator in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a top view of the active arm eyelash applicator shown in FIG. 1 having an attached top tube housing in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2B is a bottom view of the active arm eyelash applicator shown in FIG. 1 having an attached top tube housing in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cut away side perspective view with the wand and arms open and illustrating its internal mechanisms;

FIG. 4: is a cut away side perspective view with the wand and arms closed and illustrating its internal mechanisms;

FIG. 5 is a disassembled side elevational view of the wiper and base tube assembly; and

FIG. 6 is an assembled side elevational view of the wiper and base tube assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown the active arm eyelash applicator 10 accordance with the present invention. The active arm eyelash applicator 10 has an active arm 16 and a stationary arm 17 both of which are held and affixed inside of an end cap housing 14 which also supports a depression button 18, as will be more fully described below. Turning once again to FIG. 1, at the distal end of the active arm is a de-clumping apparatus 22 and at the distal end of the stationary arm 17 is a mascara wand 24. Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B there is shown and illustrated the bottom and top view eyelash applicator with the arms 16 and 17, respectively housed inside a tube base 30 which is attached to the end cap housing 14 which will be more fully described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 there is shown and illustrated a cut way perspective interior view of the internal mechanisms of the active arm eyelash applicator 10. The active arm mascara applicator 10 is a system that as described above utilizes two arms 16 and 17 wherein one arm 16 is movable (active) having a declumping apparatus at a distal end that moves toward and away from a mascara wand 24 located at the distal end of arm 17 that is fixed and unmovable wherein both arms are used in combination for applying mascara product. More specifically, one arm 17 is in a fixed position, utilizing a rectangular shaped head 40 at a first end which is press-fit into an inner closure halve 38 of the end cap housing 14 during assembly. The other arm or active arm 16 is placed and held within the interior closure halves 38 so that it pivots. An actuation button 18 is provided for moving the active arm 16 into an open and closed position relative to the stationary arm 17 wherein actuation button 18 is affixed to active arm 16, so as not to allow actuation button 18 to travel independently of active arm 16 when active arm 16 is in either the closed or open positions. More specifically and as shown in FIG. 3, when the actuation button 18 is not being depressed, a spring 44 is pre-loaded in between the pivoting arm 16 and the side wall of the inner closure halves 38 pushes against the pivoting arm 16 thereby spreading the two arms 16 and 17, respectively apart and moving the pivoting arm 16 to a fully opened position.

Turning now to FIG. 4, both the pivoting arm 16 and stationary arm 17 are half or semi-circular in shape which when they interface with each other form a fully circular shape when in the closed position thereby creating or defining a standard mascara wand 28 wherein the wand 28 defines a cone-shaped 46 sealing feature that is also half-round in the sense of orientation following the half-round shape of the wand 28 itself. When in the closed position, these sealing mechanisms interface to create a full-round cone shape 46, which mates 54 with the upper geometry of a wiper insert 50, as installed in the bottle neck 52 of the base tube 30 to create a seal, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The actuation button 18 is attached to the pivoting wand 16, and is designed to compress the spring 44 and return the wand to the closed position. During application, the consumer can depress the actuation button on the outside of the closure or end cap 14, bringing the two wands 22 and 24 together to help apply mascara to both top and bottom sides of their eyelashes (not shown) simultaneously, repeating as necessary until a desired look is achieved. To reinsert the wands back into the container, the consumer depresses the actuation button 18 to bring the wands back to the closed position, and can then insert the wands into the base tube 30.

In summary, the active arm eyelash applicator 10 of the present invention consists of a stationary mascara wand 17 and a coiled hinge 44 attaching an active comb arm with a de-clumping wand 16, a depression button 18 and a molded sealing mechanism. When the applicator package is open, the stationary mascara wand arm 17 and attached active pivoting arm 16 will form a 45-degree angle. This opening allows the user to place the active and de-clumping wand 16 onto the base of the top lash then close onto the mascara wand 17, pulling up and away from the face to coat the lashes while also separating, de-clumping and curling lashes. The active comb arm 16 is closed onto the mascara wand 17 by depressing the button 18 on the wand handle or end case 14 which is a molded piece affixed to the active comb arm 16 that protrudes through an opening in the over cap of the handle or end case 14. When this button 18 is released, the active comb arm 16 again opens to the 45-degree angle against the stationary mascara wand 17.

Additionally, on each stationary arm 17 and active arm 16 there is a molded piece. These pieces fit together forming a whole sealing device when the two arms 16 and 17 are placed in parallel in a closed position. This molded piece fits inside the opening of a mascara base tube 30 to prevent oxygen from entering the inside of the tube 32 and drying out the product. This piece also acts as a brace to keep the stationary arm 17 and active arm 16 held together while closed inside the tube 30, preventing excess product from getting trapped between the two arms. The wand handle or end cap 14 closes onto the base tube 30 to a traditional screw-on/threaded neck.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stationary arm and active arm could hold varying combinations of mascara wands and/or lash combs to achieve the desired finished result—volume, length, definition, separation, etc. The eyelash applicator could be produced with a mascara wand of any size on each the stationary and active arms. The eyelash applicator could be produced with a lash comb of any size or length on each the stationary and active arms.

While several particular forms of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will also be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It is also contemplated that various combinations or subcombinations of the specific features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An active arm eyelash applicator; comprising: an active arm and a stationary arm both of which are held and affixed inside of an end cap housing wherein said end cap housing supports a depression button; wherein said active arm at a distal end defines a de-clumping apparatus and said stationary arm at a distal end of defines a mascara wand; wherein said active and stationary arms are housed inside a tube base for storage when not in use which is attached to said end cap housing.
 2. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said depression button operates to move said active arm up and down relative to said stationary arm by utilizing a spring housed within said end cap housing when said tube base is removed.
 3. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein when the eyelash applicator is in a closed position it is designed to be stored in a standard mascara base tube which is configured to be sealed to prevent mascara from drying out.
 4. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said stationary arm defines a mascara wand defining an area of missing bristles allowing the active arm to easily close into the mascara wand head, becoming almost invisible and enabling traditional single wand mascara application to eyelashes.
 5. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said mascara wand will have bristles that crisscross wherein said bristles will provide a cleaning service to said active arm for removing any product build-up from between teeth of said arm.
 6. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said arms are held securely together by symmetrical pieces defined at each first end of the individual arms for fitting perfectly into the neck opening of the base tube
 7. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said active arm will be controlled by said button that may be easily de-pressed, forcing said active arm to close onto said stationary arm wherein said button protrudes from said end cap, thereby squeezing said active arm toward said stationary arm when pressed down and allowing said active arm to open when not pressed.
 8. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein said active arm is attached to a stationary arm by a spring-loaded hinge and each said arm will have an applicator at a distal end, one to perform product application and the other to de-clump in one easy motion.
 9. The active arm eyelash applicator according to claim 1, wherein the stationary arm and active arm have alternate functions of any type or size of mascara brush head and lash comb in any combination.
 10. An active arm eyelash applicator comprising of a stationary arm similar to traditional mascara wands and an active or movable arm attached to the stationary arm wherein said active arm is controlled by a button protruding from a handle or end cap thereby allowing said active arm to open and close. 